(CNN) – Saying that Washington is “doing an awful lot more talking than listening,” Republican Rep. Phil Gingrey is promoting a new GOP website that seeks ideas from Americans on how government can work better.

“Republicans have launched America Speaking Out, a new project that is revolutionizing the way we govern by engaging the American people and seeking their ideas for making things better,” said Gingrey in the weekly Republican radio and internet address.

“The hub of this unprecedented initiative is an innovative web forum – AmericaSpeakingOut.com – that allows you to submit your ideas for a new agenda, regardless of what party you’re affiliated with. Once you post an idea, it is then debated, discussed, and voted on. Republican lawmakers are also sharing their ideas and putting together new proposals based on your feedback,” he added.

The website, launched in May, immediately spurred a rebuttal site from Democrats that allows voters to vote on the worst Republican ideas.

Full transcript of the remarks after the jump:

“Hello, I’m Doctor Phil Gingrey, and I work for the people of Georgia’s 11th Congressional District.
“Americans are fed up with how things are going in the country right now. They see more job losses, rising debt, and plummeting home sales. They feel let down by a government that passes one 2,000-page, trillion-dollar law after another instead of focusing on addressing the problems Americans worry about every day.
“Republicans are listening and offering better solutions that get Washington out of your way, out of your pocket, and back on your side.
“Just look at jobs. President Obama and Democrats in Washington are still trying to convince Americans that their trillion-dollar ‘stimulus’ is working. But our economy has lost more than three million private sector jobs since February 2009. During that same time period, the federal government has actually grown by more than 400,000 jobs. More government, fewer jobs – that’s not recovery, those aren’t results, they’re just more of the same broken promises. Republicans are offering specific proposals to cut spending now. We can provide the fiscal discipline economists say is needed to create private-sector jobs and boost our economy.
“Americans are calling for a return to common sense in how we solve problems – and how the people communicate with their government. Because even though the world is becoming more connected through the web, mobile apps, and social media, our government is growing more out of touch, doing an awful lot more talking than listening.
“That’s why Republicans have launched America Speaking Out, a new project that is revolutionizing the way we govern by engaging the American people and seeking their ideas for making things better.

“The hub of this unprecedented initiative is an innovative web forum – AmericaSpeakingOut.com – that allows you to submit your ideas for a new agenda, regardless of what party you’re affiliated with. Once you post an idea, it is then debated, discussed, and voted on. Republican lawmakers are also sharing their ideas and putting together new proposals based on your feedback.

“We’re also taking America Speaking Out to your communities by holding town hall meetings in rooms just like this to get a real, face-to-face dialogue going about what we need to do to turn things around. I hosted one such event earlier this week at a senior center in the town of Rome, Georgia, in my district. The conversation was spirited, the kind you’ve probably participated in yourself recently – with people asking why we are spending so much and getting so little in return, with folks pleading for the President to stop doubling down on policies that are hurting instead of helping.

“One father stood up and said ‘my family has to budget, so why isn’t Washington?’ A small business owner said he’s still struggling to figure out whether he’ll be able to continue providing health insurance for his nine employees after the government takeover of health care. But what got everyone nodding was a World War Two veteran who stood up and said ‘I don’t believe my children and grandchildren will enjoy the same freedoms and the same prosperity that I have enjoyed.’

“Americans are proud of this country, they want to see things get better, and they want to be part of that turnaround. That’s what America Speaking Out is all about.

“So I hope you will take this opportunity to visit AmericaSpeakingOut.com and contact your representative to find out about upcoming America Speaking Out town halls in your area.

soundoff(75 Responses)

You're correct Pragmatic... We must be true to the words of Jefferson: "Educate and inform the whole mass of the people. ... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty."

Except Texas and the far right religious Repubs want to take Jefferson out of our education system and access to education away from all but rich Americans.

July 10, 2010 11:40 am at 11:40 am |

greene

The GOP is clueless. Here's an idea : Get out of politics !!

July 10, 2010 11:44 am at 11:44 am |

anthony

Monumental Truth,

You do know that Obama is half-white, right? Why would he destroy his own race?

As for government takeover of health care, the public option did not happen. You still need to get your insurance from the insurance companies. One big difference: everyone is required to get health insurance. This is called individual mandate. It was originally a Republican idea. Ask Mitt Romney, who enacted the Massachusetts health care plan in 2006 based on the idea (the Obama health care bill is essentially a national version of the Massachusetts plan), or the Heritage Foundation, the Republican think tank that came up with the proposal that led to the Massachusetts plan.

July 10, 2010 11:45 am at 11:45 am |

What?

What is amazing is that the republicans actually believe this stuff. The party of no basically has stood on the sidelines jeering while democratic lawmakers were trying to improve the economy and bring healthcare up to par with the rest of the world. It would be interesting to see what these "good ideas" are. So far, they have shot themselves in the foot with incompetent Tea Party (another word for Libertarian) candidates who want to dismantle Social Security, Medicare, Education and the healthcare plan (which is a mere shadow of what it should be because of the party of NO). As an independant and former republican, I am wondering? What good ideas do you people have?

July 10, 2010 11:45 am at 11:45 am |

Annie, Atlanta

You want proof that Republicans can't come up with their own ideas – well here you go. And our tax dollars are funding this site. So in essence we are paying to give Republicans our ideas free of charge. What, their paid advisors are idiots, too? This is priceless.

July 10, 2010 11:54 am at 11:54 am |

yuhman

Republicans are the main culprits that got us into this mess in the first place with skyrocketed gas prices, skyrocketed house prices, skyrocketed food prices during the last 8 years.So what new ideas can the Republicans come with. Maybe, to make the middle class more poorer than what we are.

July 10, 2010 11:55 am at 11:55 am |

John from Brooklyn

Having the national-level GOP asking the general public for policy ideas is like an NFL team openning try-outs to the general public....its either a stunt, or they've gotta be so bankrupt for ideas that they'll take them wherever they can get em?

Frankly, I'd like my political party to responsive to my OPINION, but I expect them to understand the economy and federal law better than me.

What desperate losers!

July 10, 2010 11:58 am at 11:58 am |

Jeff Brown in Jersey

And what ideas do you have Phil? We're waiting.... waiting.....waiting....

July 10, 2010 12:05 pm at 12:05 pm |

Peter s

The elephant in the room destroyed the economy for eight years and for the last one year and a half the elephant in the room has been an obstructionist saying NO NO NO CRY BABY OLD MEN WHINNERS!! GOP go back to the south!!

July 10, 2010 12:06 pm at 12:06 pm |

Molly Weasley

This would be the website where the GOP is meeting first with corporate bigwigs to get their ideas, so their money people get everything they want. And the whole thing is funded by the taxpayers. And these hypocrites talk about big government...

July 10, 2010 12:10 pm at 12:10 pm |

JR

Jesus, what a freakin joke, they set up a web site asking the public for solutions, because they have none and what will they do then, ignore any and all. Why do you think they always use obstructionism for any attempt by the democrats to improve America, because they have nothing else.

By the way, "Monumental Moron", you don't vote for any Obama proposals because you aren't in Congress to vote, moron.

July 10, 2010 12:12 pm at 12:12 pm |

Ken, AZ

This seems to be a major problem with the GOP; they are elected to do a job, then they want to throw it back to the people to do it for them. This is an admission that the GOP does not have any ideas. You would think that since they screwed up this country with unnecessary wars, unfunded tax cuts, unbridled spending and massive de-regulation, they'd at least have some ideas about how to fix it. Now they're begging for ideas from their supporters? Unbelievable.

July 10, 2010 12:14 pm at 12:14 pm |

GL

Where were you GOBP speak out for the last 8 years. It is funny now that the GOBP not in power they seem to have all the answer. GOBP = LIARS!

July 10, 2010 12:15 pm at 12:15 pm |

DENNA

This is priceless. NOW the Rethugs want to listen to America. They don't have a clue and are constantly fighting with the president over everything.

@Monumental Truth! – The white race, all of us, are safe. What some of us don't want to do is share with the rest of America. That's not going to work. Either all Americans from every race will share in this country, or we will all be miserable. The 1950s are gone, gone, gone. Let's be the Christians we say we are and celebrate all of America with a good heart.

Saying that Washington is “doing an awful lot more talking than listening,” Republican Rep. Phil Gingrey is promoting a new GOP website that seeks ideas from Americans on how government can work better.

GOBP JUST SHOWED US THEY DON'T HAVE ANY IDEAS!

July 10, 2010 12:24 pm at 12:24 pm |

once upon a horse

@ MONUMENTAL TRUTH

I can tell that you're a dittohead because of the crap you're spouting here. President Obama's family is half white so I'm sure he wants to destroy part of it too right? I don't think even Sarah Palin would say something THAT stupid..at least not in public.

July 10, 2010 12:34 pm at 12:34 pm |

Langlais

@monumental truth.. what's this nonsense about President Obama hating America and the white race? You sound like Glen Beck. Obama hates white people because his father is black. Obama hates black people because his mother is white. You racist are the worse morons. I still haven't heard why he hates America the country he was born in? Oh I forgot, he was born in Kenya that's why he hates the U.S.

July 10, 2010 12:35 pm at 12:35 pm |

larry

Did Phil get permission from his daddy Rush before he did this?

July 10, 2010 12:37 pm at 12:37 pm |

BobH

Why is this news? Whitehouse.gov has been doing this for a year or more, not only soliciting ideas but holding LIVE give-and-take forums where citizens can interact directly with top officials.

July 10, 2010 12:52 pm at 12:52 pm |

JameyC

Is this guy joking? This guy has been in the House for how long? Did no one tell him part of his job is to listen to his constituents concerns and ideas?

July 10, 2010 12:54 pm at 12:54 pm |

bobden

If there's an anti-American group, it's the GOP.

No old ideas, no new ideas. Empty heads.

July 10, 2010 12:56 pm at 12:56 pm |

jay in denver

The GOP couldn't get a clue during clue mating season while drenched in clue musk.

July 10, 2010 12:59 pm at 12:59 pm |

Randall in Torrance, CA - HA HA HA - This has got to be the biggest joke of the century!

Republicans created the logest U.S. War in history in Iraq. They crashed America's financial system to the brink. Their policies led to the biggest oil spill in world history – and they say they have better ideas????? This so absurd it is hysterical.

Republicans are addicted to money, war and anti-government policies. There will never be one solid reason for listening to anything they ever say. They are like cocaine bitches in heat – they just can't get enough of war and oil and greed.

Republicans are an extinct species.

July 10, 2010 01:00 pm at 1:00 pm |

from the bluffs

Silly to think that elected representatives need this way to get the people's ideas. Isn't that why they take calls, letters and email? Don't they listen?
Funny, too, how the only Republicans who are speaking out against the right-wing extremists are those who lost their seats in the last election. Too spineless to come out with the truth before, afraid they'd lost the votes of those bigots and liars?
The Republican party used to have people of integrity. No more. They're now represented by the lowest of the low-class segment of our citizens.